Bursting With Love
by Paige Terner
Summary: Family can make anything better.


Castle hears the now familiar click of the door opening and closing, and blinks his eyes open slowly, grimacing as the harsh fluorescent bulbs above him bite bitterly into his tired pupils. He'd only closed his eyes a few minutes ago, but the darkness behind his eyelids had been a welcome diversion from the lights above. If a visitor hadn't just entered the room, he'd most likely have drifted back to sleep under the darkness. He's been taking little naps whenever he can, since sleep has been elusive between the pain and all the people that have been coming in and out of his hospital room - nurses, the surgeon, friends and family, even Gina had stopped by with a vase of flowers.

He picks his head up enough to look at the foot of the bed. A smile bursts across his face when he sees two little hands framing the half of a face peering back up at him. Brilliantly blue eyes with brown rings around the irises and flecks of green throughout are focused intensely on him. Slight curls weave through chestnut hair, and eyebrows are knitted into a worrisome point just above a crinkled nose.

"Hey Daddy." The greeting is muffled by the plastic of the bed.

"Hey yourself," Castle replies as his smile grows wider. "How's my girl? And where's your grandmother?"

"I'm good, Daddy. Gram is out in the hall talking to a doctor. She helped me open the door and told me to wait in here with you."

Castle tries to sit up a little further, but stops when he is hit with a jab of pain. He lies back down, closes his eyes, and breathes deeply through the searing wave of agony, hoping the pain will subside on its own. He doesn't want to take any morphine while Samantha is in the room so he won't get loopy. After several moments that feel like years have gone by, the stabbing fades into throbbing and he opens his eyes. His gaze is met by his daughter's innocent eyes, heavy with worry.

"I don't like you being hurt, Daddy," she says suddenly, "It makes me sad."

"Hey," Castle forces a smile and lifts his left hand, waving it slightly towards himself, "Come up here and see me."

Samantha shakes her head, sending her loose curls on a wild journey. "I'll hurt all your stitches," she says softly, her voice cracking.

Castle shakes his own head, though not as vigorously. "No, baby, you won't hurt me."

"You promise?"

"I promise," Castle gestures with his hand again to encourage her, "come on up. I need one of your fantastic hugs."

Samantha bites her bottom lip, a habit gleaned from her mother, and then walks slowly around the corner of the bed, coming to a stop at the opening between the footboard and the side bar. She looks up at Castle again and smiles when he nods his head, then climbs up onto the mattress. Castle has to swallow a groan, because she is jostling the entire bed and the pain is searing again. But there is no way he is going to let her know that, so he keeps his suffering to himself. Slowly she makes her way up the bed and settles down on her side next to him with her head on his shoulder. He puts his arm around her and gently draws her closer.

"So, Sam, tell me about last night."

"It was really fun," Samantha wiggles a little, sending another pang of pain through Castle, but he closes his eyes briefly and tries not to make any noise as she continues. "I was going to go to Gram's house but she decided that it would be easier for her to come to our house so she came over and spent the night in the room next to mine."

"And what all did you guys do?"

"We played dress up and then I called Grandpa Jim to see if he could come have dinner with us and then play but he told me that he had to make some arrangements so he couldn't come but he said wanted to but we did talk for a long time while Gram made dinner."

Castle laughs to himself despite the pain he knows it will cause. His youngest daughter has a habit of rambling when she is excited or caught up in telling a story.

"What did he mean by arrangements, Daddy?" Samantha turns her head slightly so she can look up at him.

Castle sighs quietly as he mulls over how to answer her. "Well, that's my fault, actually," he begins. "Grandpa Jim had to take care of some plans that I should have been in charge of, but because I am here in the hospital I couldn't do it." He kisses her on the forehead and smiles. "But I know that he would've much rather been playing with you."

"I really love Gram," Samantha carefully drapes an arm across Castle's chest, "but I wish you were at home Daddy. It's not as fun without you and Mommy there."

Hopefully I'll be able to come home very soon," Castle says, his voice soft.

"I missed story time last night."

"Didn't Gram tells you a story?"

"Well, yes. And she's good, but not as good as you, Daddy. I meant I missed our story time."

"I missed it too, lovebug."

"Ew," Samantha squeals playfully, "I'm not a bug, Daddy!"

"You're my little bug, like it or not."

Her little fingers start playing with the collar of his gown. "Would you tell me a story now?"

"Sure thing, sweetheart." He replies without hesitation. "Do you have any requests?"

"Tell me about when you and Mommy met. I really like that story."

"You don't want an adventure story?"

"No Daddy," she shakes her head against him, "tell me about when you met Mommy. It's my favorite."

Castle picks his head up and kisses the top of her head. "Okay then. The story of when Daddy met Mommy it is." He puts his head back down on the pillow. "It was a dark and stormy night."

"Daddy," Samantha groans, "that's not how it starts."

"It's not?"

"No, silly," she giggles.

"Could you tell me how it starts?"

"You were at a book party with Gram and Alexis."

"Oh yes." Castle smiles. "I remember now. What happened next?"

"Mommy walked up behind you, but you didn't know her yet. She knew who you were, but she kind of pretended not to."

"That's right. She held up her shiny badge and said?"

"Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD." Samantha says happily. "We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that took place earlier tonight."

Castle chuckles. "Exactly. You've got that part down."

"I told you it's my favorite story."

"Yes you did. So anyway, for a moment I just stared at Mommy because she was so beautiful."

"And then she took you to the slammer!" Samantha adds excitedly. "And read you your rap sheet."

"Hey, I didn't have a rap sheet!" Castle feigns shock.

"Richard Castle, don't you lie to our daughter."

Samantha sits up when she hers Kate's laughing statement. She jars the bed violently as she does, and this time Castle can't keep his pain to himself. He lets out a loud moan, which causes Samantha to jerk her head back around, which makes him moan again.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," he gasps out through clenched teeth, "but try to be still, baby." He sees tears well up in her eyes, so he lifts up his hand and caresses her cheek. "It's okay, Sammy, I promise. Don't cry."

"But I hurt you, Daddy," she whimpers out.

"It was an accident," he smiles at her, "so don't you go worrying your pretty little head about it, alright?"

Samantha sniffles and nods her head. She looks towards the end of the bed where Kate is now standing. "Hey, Mommy."

Kate cocks her head to the side and smiles. "Hey, baby," she coos, "guess what?"

"What?"

"We brought you back a milkshake."

"You did?"

"We did." Kate nods and reaches down beside her. She moves her arm like she's pushing something, and another visitor steps out around the corner of the bed, revealing himself to Samantha and Castle. "Your brother carried it all the way up here for you."

"Yours is strawberry!" he cries out happily as he holds up two cups above his head. "But mine is chocolate."

"Hello there, little man." Castle grins at his son.

"Hiya, Dad!"

"Daniel," Kate says, "why don't you and your sister go sit on the couch over there and drink your milkshakes."

"Okay!" he shouts as he starts walking across the room.

Castle and Kate both smile at his exuberance, then Kate comes around to the side of the bed and holds her hands out to Samantha, who raises her arms. Kate picks her up off the bed and props her on her hip.

"Whew, girl," Kate laughs, "you're almost too big for me to hold you like this."

"I'm going to be seven tomorrow, Mommy." Samantha replies.

"I know," Kate smiles and kisses her on the cheek, "now, are you ready to go drink your milkshake?"

Samantha nods and Kate sets her down. She watches her walk over and sit next to Daniel, then turns her attention to Castle. She takes his hand in hers and squeezes gently.

"How long has it been since you hit the morphine button?" she asks him.

"I don't know," Castle shrugs slightly, "right after you and Danny left. Where's Mother? Sam said she was out in the hall with the doctor."

Kate laughs. "She is, but she isn't out there talking about your health. She's flirting." Castle laughs at that, then grimaces. "Why don't you take some more pain medicine?"

"What I want is to go home," he replies, "I miss being there with you and the kids."

"We miss you too." She leans down and kisses him lightly, then touches her forehead to his. "The kids were already asleep when I got home last night," Kate reaches up with one hand and runs her fingers slowly through his hair, "but I was with them all morning. We even had a cuddle pile before cooking breakfast. They kept asking when you'd be able to come home."

"I missed a cuddle pile?" Castle whines. "This sucks."

She straightens back up, but keeps stroking her fingers through his hair. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me and go see the doctor before your appendix bursts. You'd probably have been able to go home the same day as the surgery if you'd gone when the pain first started."

"It can't burst again," Castle argues, "they took it out."

"You know what I mean." Kate bites her lip to keep from smiling. "And anyway, I just got the word on my way back in here that you can definitely go home this afternoon."

Castle's face lights up, then he glances over at the kids. Their full attention is devoted to their shakes, but he still lowers his voice. "So I'm not going to miss Sam's party?"

"Nope."

"That's fantastic." He smiles again, then frowns. "Was your dad able to take care of everything?"

"Yes," Kate nods, "we're all set."

"I hated having to ask him to step in like that."

"Rick, he didn't mind. Honestly, I think he was glad he got to help."

Castle looks back over at Samantha and Daniel. "So when exactly do I get to go home?"

"I can go start filling out the release papers now." Kate glances at the kids, then back at him. "You okay watching them while I go do that?"

"Yeah," He nods. "but hold on, I want to sit up."

Kate lets go of his hand and takes a step back while he holds down the button that lifts the top half of the bed into a mostly upright position. When he is settled as comfortably as he can be, she returns to the side of the bed.

"I'm so glad you're coming home, Castle." She smiles and leans in to kiss him.

"That makes two of us," he whispers against her lips.

She stands back up and looks over at the kids. "You two be good for Daddy while I go do some paperwork, okay?"

"Okay." Samantha replies.

Daniel just nods since his mouth is wrapped around his straw.

"So," Castle says as Kate heads for the door. "who wants to share their milkshake with their dad?"

"I do!" both kids yell out in unison, putting a wide smile on Kate's face as she closes the door behind her.


End file.
